Romans

This is the first in a series of 21 summaries of letters in the New Testament.  The first summary is of Romans, and comes from a Peter Leithart blog post:

I.   Paul's greeting to the Romans; summary of the gospel, 1:1-17

     II.   Jew and Gentile under God's Judgment: Humanity under sin, 1:18-2:29

            III.   The Righteousness by which we stand, 3:1-4:25

                    IV.   Law and Spirit, 5-8

            III.'  God's righteousness in dealing with Israel, 9-11

     II.'  Humanity under grace, 12:1-15:13

I.'  Paul's greeting and summary of the gospel, 15:14-16:27

The 'I' pattern links Paul's initial greeting and summary of the gospel to Paul's concluding greeting and summary of the gospel.  In both sections, Paul talks about the obedience of faith and the Gentiles.  In the first section, Paul speaks of longing to visit Rome.  In the second section, Paul speaks of his plans to visit Rome.

The 'II' pattern links the earlier descriptions of humanity's condition under sin to the later descriptions of humanity's condition under grace.  The first section describes being under God's wrath.  The second describes being in the body of Christ.  The first section describes living in darkness.  The second section describes living in light.  Both sections ask, "why do you judge?"

The 'III' pattern links two sections about God's righteousness.  Both sections discuss the true basis of righteousness in God's people.  Both sections also discuss Abraham and his children.

The 'IV' section is central, and finds its central distinction in the distinction between the life of the flesh and the life of the Spirit, which is the life in Christ, and the life of the law fulfilled.